As of: January 19, 2024, 9:53 a.m
By: Stella Henrich
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Split
Sparkasse and ING criticize the federal government.
Because the traffic light deletes an important function for the online ID.
The citizens are left behind.
Munich – If you want to open a bank account online, you need the PIN from your online ID card.
Anyone who has forgotten it will have to go back to the citizens' office to get a new PIN.
The reason for the change is that the federal government has canceled the service for activating the online ID card.
The function will be discontinued in 2024 due to the budget situation, as confirmed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI).
This makes opening an account much more difficult for many customers.
In the future, they will have to open their account again in a bank branch instead of being able to use their digital ID card.
This applies at least to those who have forgotten their ID card PIN.
Nevertheless, consumers can save themselves some annoying administrative procedures with the online ID card.
Higher hurdles when opening an account on the Internet: Banks and savings banks want to stick to procedures
Criticism comes from savings banks and banks such as ING Bank and Comdirect.
They offer the E-Ident process for digital authentication when opening an account and want to further advance the process.
According to Handelsblatt,
more than 80 percent of the approximately 350 savings banks nationwide
want to offer account opening using digital ID by the summer .
The paper relies on information from the German Savings Banks and Giro Association (DSGV) - the umbrella organization of the savings banks finance group.
According to the report, ING Germany also wants to stick to this procedure for opening accounts.
The financial institutions' concern: Another trip to the authorities because someone has forgotten the PIN for their online document could ruin their business.
Current account service is suspended – banks and savings banks criticize
Anyone who had previously forgotten their PIN could simply reset it and request a new number by letter.
Due to the canceled function, consumers now have to go back to the citizens' office.
Alternatively, customers can open their account directly at a bank branch.
A standard ID card is sufficient for this purpose.
Alternatively, you can also use the Postident procedure at a post office or video authentication via an app or computer.
Federal government cancels PIN reset service for online ID cards
The PIN reset and activation service has been suspended.
December 29, 2023 was the last day on which the PIN reset letter could be ordered online.
Since December 30, 2023, this service has been offered exclusively at the Citizens' Office.
The online ID card is primarily used to be able to carry out administrative procedures and business matters, such as opening an account, easily, quickly and securely online.
To do this, consumers need an activated online ID function and their corresponding PIN.
If the online ID card is not activated, or if someone can no longer find their PIN letter, the PIN must be reissued via the responsible municipality's citizens' office.
Source: Federal Ministry of the Interior and Homeland 2024
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Decision a setback for the digital transformation at Sparkasse and Co.
Savings banks and other banks express criticism of the decision.
“The discontinuation of the PIN reset service by letter is a setback for the digital transformation in Germany,” says DSGV board member Joachim Schmalzl, criticizing the suspension of the function.
According to Handelsblatt, ING also cannot understand the government's decision.
So far, it is possible to authenticate yourself using an online ID card to open a checking account at 90 savings banks as well as at ING and Comdirect.
Savings banks want to make it possible to open securities accounts and grant loans via online ID
Schmatzl shows willingness to talk and assures the federal government of his support in finding alternative solutions for the current PIN reset service.
The board member is convinced that there will be further use cases in the future other than opening an account with the ID PIN.
The Sparkasse logo lights up on a branch.
(Symbolic image) © Julian Stratenschulte/dpa
For example, the savings banks are planning to use the ID card when opening securities accounts and granting loans in online banking.
The DSGV states in a focus paper that “the Sparkassen Finanzgruppe is committed to secure, user-friendly and data-efficient digital identities that are interoperable, freely available and universally applicable across Europe.”
The association says it is committed to this with its own applications such as giroBooster and giroExpress.
The Sparkasse Finance Group is also apparently already ready to introduce the Smart eID, which would bring the ID card permanently to the smartphone.
And from 2025, Sparkasse customers will also be able to collect Payback bonus points with their Girocard.
Hurdle when opening an account: Many people don't even know how the online ID card works
Unlike bankers and lobby associations, citizens are more reluctant to use digital identities.
According to a study by the University of Munich, the eGovernment MONITOR 2023, eight percent of respondents with a valid ID card and for whom the online ID is ready for use say that they do not trust the online ID.
Nine percent can no longer find their PIN and 17 percent say “it’s too complicated for me”.
38 percent, on the other hand, don't even know how to use the online ID card.
(sthe)